Electric truck with steering axles



April 5, 1932.

C. KIRCHNER ELECTRIC TRUCK WITH STEERING F'iled May 20, 1930 AXLES lCl.)

Patented Apr. 5, 1.932

,l UNrrlezD sTA'res PATENT OFFHCE CARL KIRCHNER, or BnUNswmxfeEnivrANY ELECTRIC mnuoxwrrn STEERINGAXLES Application mea May 2o, 193C, serial Nq.

' The present linvention relates to an electric truck with steering axles and particu- Y larly resides therein that the motor shaft and the steering axle driven by themotor are ,5 freely pivoted about a commonl axis passing vertically through the V'point of intersection of the two shafts. Preferably'th'e motorV or motors may be mounted on a guide arranged concentrically to the pivotal axis. The moe tor may be mounted upon a carriage arranged underneath its centre of gravity and which is movable on the guide arranged concentrically to the pivotal axis. rIhe m0- tor can be pivotally arrangedon the carriage about a horizontal pivotal bolt and connected to the steering axle `byltransverse members. The supporting springs may preferably be connected to the truck in such a manner that on turning of the steering axle it is possible for a relative movement to take place between the axle bush and the supporting springs, and preferably also between the supporting springs and the truck. For effecting the connection between the axle bush 5 and the supporting springs and/or between the supporting springs and the truckslide guides may be provided. The slide guide between the truck and the supporting springs may-be arranged in the direction ofthe longitudinal axis of the truck, the slide guide between the axle bush and the steering axle in a Vdirection parallel to the latter axle. `The steering axle maybe provided with curved guide portions preferably connected to the axle bushes. For supporting the guide portions on the axle bushes rollers may be provided.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is illustrated by way of example.

Figure l is a side elevation. Figure 2 is a plan, and Figure 3 is a front elevation of a device according to the invention.

In the drawings L1 a2 indicate the track Wheels, b' a steering axle driven from a motor c through the medium of a motor shaft Z and intermediate gearing, not separately shown, contained within a casing f. g is a r guide on which the motor can be swung about j an axis passing at right angles through the 454,019, and in Germany April. 16, 192i?.

point of Aintersection ofthe axis of the motor p shaft d and the axis of the steering axle b. The steeringv axle b withits wheels and also the transverse members h1 h2 connecting it to the. motor is capable of pivoting together with the motor about the said vertical axis. On' the steering axle there are Lprovided concentrically to the said vertical axis curved guide members l 2 which bear against rollers 701 k2. m1 m2 areaxle bushes which carry the guide members l 2. .n1/n2 are divided boxes for the reception ofr axle bush springs -01 02. On the'divided boxes nl 'n2 are provided round pins asv a; rigidly connected to dovetailed slides a5 ne. The-slides n@ are movable parallel tothe direction of the axis on the axle bushes m1 m2. The springs 01 02 are suspended from shells p which are movable on the underframe' g, of the vehicle frame, in the longitudinal direci0 tion of the truck. The motor c is connected below its centre of gravity by means of apin' 1" to a carriage s running on the guide g. `'Ihe guide g is carried by the truck body, which is not illustrated, and which rests on the underframe g. 't is a universal coupling between the motor shaft Z and the shaft of the casing ff When rocking the steering axle Z) itis possible, by reason of theconstruction described, for the slide 'a5 secured to the box n2, to move youtwardly so that no drag :occurs between the box nl and the axle' bushes a2 m2. vlhen compressing'the springs 02 and rocking the steering axle the slides p move in their guide'on the under-frame g.V The motore swings with theaxle b. The guide members l 2 roll on'the rollers'ki. 792.' v

The guide member is attached, as indicated in Figs. l and 2, to thelongitudinally extending bracingmembers u of the vehicle frame by means of` screws u1.

I claim Y i Y 1. Inl an electric `railway truck a freely movable steering axle, a motor, a motor shaft for drivingsaid steering axle, a non-resilient connectionbetween the steering axle and the motor casing, so that the motorcasing moves `freely with the steering axle, andV a guide for carrying the motor., said' guide being concentrically curved kabout anY axis passing vertically through the middle of the steering axle.

2: In an electric railway truck a freely movable steering axle, a motor, a motor shaft for driving said steering axle, a non-resilient connection between the steering axle and the motor casing, so that the motor casing moves connection vbetween the steering axle and the motor-casing, so that the motor casing moves freely with 'the steering axle, a yguide for carrying the motor, said guide being concentrically curved about anaxis passingcvertically through'the middle of the steering axle, and av roller device between the guide and the mo.- tor'casing, which is located below the centre of'fgravity of the motor casing..Y

4. In an electric railway ytruck a freely movable steering axle, a motor, a motor shaft for driving said steering axle, a non-resilient connection between the steering axle yand .the motor casing,so that the motor'casing moves freely with the steering axle, a guide secured tothe vehicle body for carrying themotor, said guide being concentrically curvedabout an axis 'passing yvertically through themid` dle of the steering axle, Awhereby the motor andthe motor shaft, are non-rigidly connectedito t'hesaid guide in such a manner, that the motor and Ymotor vshaft can yield relativelyto differences in height between the ,guide and .the steering axle. Y Y

' '5., lIn lan electric railway truck a freely movable steering axle, a motor, a motor-shaft for driving said steering axle, a non-resilient connection vbetween the-steering axle, and the motor casing,"so Lthat the motor casingjmoves freely with vthe steeringaxle, a .guide secured tothe vehicle body for carrying the motor,

said guide being concentrically curved about an axis passingvertically through the middle 'of' the vsteering axle, whereby the motor and motor shaftare capable of being connected *tothe guide with 'the interposition of a horizontal shaft in such a manner, that the motor Yand motorshaft can yield relatively -to differ- Aences 1in height between the guide and the steering axle.

6. In an electric railway truck, a freely movable steering axle, va motor, a-motor shaft "for driving said steering axle, a non-resilient Y v'connection between the steering axle and the motor casing, so that 'the motorcasing moves Vfreely 'with the steering axle, axle bushes on the" steeringa-xle, "a vehicle frame,'supporting springsfa-rranged-one-betweeneach ofthe axle bushes Aand the vehicle frame, a first guiding means on the vehicle frame for said supportlng springs, and a second guiding means on the axle bushes for said supporting springs in suchV a manner, that when the steering axle is turned no transverse strain is exerted on the spring by the steering axle and the truck.

7. In an electric railway truck` a Vfreely movable steering axle, a motor, a motor shaft for driving said steering axle, a non-resilient connection between, the steering axle and the motor-casing, so that the motor casing moves freely with the steering axle, axlebushes on the vsteering axle, a vehicle frame, supporting springs varranged onebetween each axle bush Y andthe vehicle frame andarsli'de guide on one 'of the Vsupporting springs, onfthe vehicle frame, andon oneof the axle bushesfinsuch a manner that when the steering axle turns no transverse'l strain lis "transmitted tothe spring by the steering axle and the truck. e

`8.V In -anl electric lrailway trucka freely n movable steering axle, amotor, a motor 'shaft for drivings'aid steering axle, anon-resilient connection between the steering taxle vand .the

motor-casing, so that the motor casing moves freely. with the -st'eeringaxld axle bushes fon the steering axle, a vehiclelframe, fa :plurality of supporting `springs arrangedone between each of the axle bushes and the vehicle frame, a slide .guide between one of the supporting springs and the vehicle Yframe,'said slide gu-ide being vmovable vp arallel Vtothe direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, `and ai'slide guide between fthe -axle bushesand the steeringiaxle, said slide ,guide being movable parallelto the steering axle.

v9. In anelectric railway truck-a freely movV abl'esteering axle, a motor, a motor shaft perpendicular to the steering axlefor driving the said vsteering axle, a wheel radially mounted 'motor casing, so that the motor casing moves freely with the steering axle, and curved guide members at the ends of said steering axle, said guide members permitting Aof a rocking movement of thesteering zaxle'solely in a substantially'horizontal direction about an1 axis through themiddle-ofsaid steering ax e.

11. In an electric railway truck-a steering `axle, axle bushes' on ysaid vsteering axle, a"`vehicle frame, a pluralityof supporting Asprings arranged one betweenleachv ofthe axle bushes 'andthe vehicle frame,xa slideguide between one of the supporting springsand'the vehicle iframe, said'slideguidebeing m'ovableparallel to the 'direction 'of fthe longitudinal axisy of the vehicle, and a slide guide between the axle bushes and the steering axle, said slide guide being movable parallel to the steering axle. Y

12. In an electric truck a steering axle curved guide members at the ends of sai steering axle, said guide members permitting of a rocking movement of the steering axle solely in asubstantially horizontal direction about an axis through the middle of said steering axle and rollers on the truck on which the said guide members are movable.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.

CARL KIRCHNER. 

